The Indian men's doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty bowed out in the semifinals of the China Masters Super 750 badminton tournament, losing in three games to Korea’s Jin Yong and Seo Seung Jae on Saturday. (More Badminton News)
Competing in their first event since the Paris Olympics, the former world number one Indian pair, who had reached the finals in the last edition, couldn’t maintain the pressure in a 74-minute encounter, going down 18-21, 21-14, 1♍6-21 to the unseeded Korean duo.
The opening game saw a neck-and-neck battle, with both pairs engaging in fierce rallies. Satwik and Chirag held a slim 11-10 lead at the mid-game intﷺerval. The Indians then established a 15-12 advantage as Jin struggled with rhythm during short rallies.
However, a service fault call against Ch✨irag and a lucky net chord for the Koreans helped them level at 16-16.
The left-han✃ded Korean pair gai🦹ned momentum, taking a 17-16 lead and eventually clinching the game after Chirag’s return found the net.
In the second game, the Indians played wi🐭th energy, leading 8-6 before winning a thrilling 47-shot rally to extend their lead to 15-10.
Two 🙈quick errors from the Koreans at t👍he net and the lead widened as Satwik and Chirag roared back into contest.
The final game began with Chirag once again c🎃alled for a serv💯ice height fault.
At 2-3, he showcased exceptional defense,𝐆 keeping the rally alive while falling on the floor before smashing home the point.
However, Seo’s br♋illiant defense turned the tide as the Koreans moved ahead 11-7 at the interval.
Trailing 7-13, the Indians mounted a spirited comeback, winning six of the next seven po🍸ints to close the gap to 13-14.
They kept the pressure on, staying within striki🌳ng distance a꧙t 15-16, but the Koreans held firm, extending their lead to 18-15.
Seo’s sharp🐬 smash and disguised return earned four mওatch points for the Korean pair, who sealed the contest with another powerful smash.
